Homeless children and youth report that school is a home to them – a place where they see the same faces, sit in the same seat, and can put their hearts and minds into pursuits that ease their daily troubles. In school, students gain the skills and support needed to avoid poverty and homelessness as adults.

Food and Nutrition

Setting the Context

Families with children experiencing homelessness and unaccompanied homeless youth often experience food insecurity, which means they may not know where they will find their next meal. To help ensure that vulnerable children and youth have access to regular meals, the U.S. federal government funds a variety of food programs, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture's school meals and SNAP/food stamp programs.

NAEHCY Resources

Access to Food for Homeless and Highly Mobile StudentsThis issue brief, developed collaboratively by NAEHCY, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), and the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE), explains the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child Nutrition Division (CND) policies regarding eligibility for free school meals for certain homeless, migrant, runaway, and foster students; addresses frequently asked questions about implementing these policies; and offers tools to ensure that these students can access food both inside and outside of school.Download the brief.

Food Assistance for Unaccompanied Homeless YouthIn this January 2014 webinar, national experts from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) and the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) review a 2013 USDA policy clarification that helps unaccompanied homeless youth access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, as well as state policies that help to connect homeless youth with SNAP. This webinar is intended for state human services agencies, individuals and organizations working on SNAP policy and advocacy, advocates for children facing homelessness, and McKinney-Vento liaisons.View the webinar recording.